9 Days Big 5 & Primates Uganda Safari | Wildlife & Primates

Discover what the 9 Days Big 5 & Primates Uganda Safari has to offer, including thrilling game drives, a boat cruise, a gorilla trek and chimpanzee tracking in Uganda precious national parks.

Highlights of 9 Days Big 5 & Primates Uganda Safari

Day 1: Pick up & transfer to a hotel in Entebbe

Day 2: Transfer to Murchison falls national park via Ziwa rhino sanctuary

Day 3: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise

Day 4: Transfer to Kibale forest national park

Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park

Day 6: Morning game drive and Afternoon boat cruise

Day 7: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park

Day 8: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park

Day 9: Departure to Entebbe / Kampala

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Pick up and transfer to a hotel in Entebbe

Depending on your pick-up location, you will be welcomed and briefed by our driver guide and then transferred to a hotel in Entebbe for dinner and overnight.

Day 2: Transfer to Murchison falls national park via Ziwa rhino sanctuary

Have breakfast and meet your driver guide to start the journey to Murchison falls national park.

On the way, you will have a stopover at the Ziwa rhino sanctuary for rhino tracking, after which you will continue the journey with an en route lunch in Masindi town.

After lunch, you will proceed to the park, and upon arrival, you will drive directly to the top of the falls, where you can view the beautiful waterfalls and enjoy the water splashes, among other things. From the top of the falls, you will drive to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise

After breakfast, meet your guide and head out for a morning game drive where you will be able to view animals and spot different bird species, among others.

After the game drive, you will return back to the lodge for lunch.

After lunch, you will go on an amazing boat cruise to the bottom of the falls, where you will be able to see hippos and Nile crocodiles in the water; view elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks, giraffes, and warthogs, among others, drinking water along the shores; and view waterbirds like cormorants, hornbills, and kingfishers, among others.

After the boat cruise you will drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 4: Transfer to Kibale forest national park

After an early breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kibale National Park. It’s a whole-day journey, during which you will have lunch en route and enjoy great views of the Rwenzori mountain ranges, tea plantations, and crater lakes, among others.

Upon arrival in the park, you will continue to check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking and transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park

Take breakfast, and then head to the Kanyachu Visitors Center for a briefing about the rules and regulations to follow during trekking. After the briefing, you will start trekking in the forest with an experienced park guide in search of the chimpanzees.

During chimpanzee trekking, which takes about 30 minutes to 4 hours, you will be able to view different bird species, plants, and other primate species, among others. Once the chimpanzees are located, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat, which gives you an opportunity to learn more about their habits and behaviors, watch them feed, breastfeed, play, hunt, rest, take photos and record the beautiful moments.

After the one hour with the chimpanzees, you will trek back to the starting point, where you will meet with your driver guide and drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

After lunch, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver’s guide to transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is the second largest national park located in the western part of Uganda.

On the way, you will enjoy stunning views, and upon arrival in the park, you will go for an evening game drive, where you will be able to view a variety of wildlife. After the evening game drive, you will drive to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 6: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise

After an early breakfast, your guide will take you on a morning game drive, commonly conducted in the Kasenyi plains.

During the game drive you will be able to view animals like buffaloes, elephants, Uganda kobs, warthogs, waterbucks, and bushbucks, among others, which will be grazing in the open savannah plains; view predators like lions and elephants if you are lucky; and view different bird species, among others. After the game drive, you will drive back to the lodge for lunch.

After lunch, you will go on an amazing boat cruise on the Kaziga Channel, a water body that connects Lake Edward and Lake George.

During the boat cruise you will be able to view large concentrations of hippos and Nile crocodiles in water; view elephants, buffaloes, warthogs among others drinking water along the shores; and view water birds like hornbills, cormorants, kingfishers, bee-eaters, and fish eagles, among others. After the boat cruise, which takes about 2 to 3 hours, you will return to the lodge for evening relaxation, dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 7: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park

Have breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park.

On the way, you will have a stopover in the Ishasha sector, where you will be able to view the tree-climbing lions, which will be lying up on acacia or fig tree branches during the game drive.

After the game drive, you will have lunch en route and then continue your journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Upon arrival you will check into the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 8: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park

After breakfast, carry your packed lunch and meet up with your driver guide to go for a gorilla trekking briefing at the park headquarters.

After the briefing you will be allocated a habituated gorilla family to trek and a park guide who is well conversant with the trekking trails. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park takes about 30 minutes to 6 hours depending on where the gorillas are located.

During trekking you will be able to view other primates’ species, different birds, plant and tree species, and others. Once the gorillas are found, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat, which gives you an opportunity to learn about their behaviors, watch them carry out their daily activities, take photos and record the videos.

Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi

After one hour with the mountain gorillas, you will trek back to the starting point, where you will be allocated a certificate for participating in gorilla trekking, meet up with your driver guide, and return to the lodge for an evening of relaxation, dinner, and an overnight stay.

Day 9: Departure to Entebbe / Kampala

Enjoy a relaxed breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kampala. On the way, you will have en route lunch in Mbarara town and a stopover at the Equator to take photos and buy souvenirs.

From the Equator, you will proceed to Kampala, arriving in the early evening. Upon arrival, your driver-guide will drop you off at Entebbe International Airport for your departure flight or at any place of convenience.

End of 9 Days Big 5 & Primates Uganda Safari

Tour includes

• Gorilla trekking permit
• Chimpanzee trekking permit
• Park entrance fees/game drives
• Bigodi swamp walk
• Rhino tracking fees
• Boat cruise fees
• Full-time English-speaking driver guide
• Full board accommodation
• Pick up and drop off in Entebbe / Kampala
• Vehicle and fuel
• Bottled water

Tour excludes

• Air flight tickets
• Visas
• Optional activities not included on the itinerary
• Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, crafts, drinks, laundry services, tips, among others.